A stack of products such as pouches are formed in a product bucket, pushed into a stack guide bucket and from there into a carton. A stack tamp descends over the stack, engages and confines it downwardly during stack pushing from product bucket and through stack guide bucket into a carton. Multiple product buckets, stack guide buckets and cartons move downstream during cartoning, and are respectively aligned in a cartoning station. Reciprocal containment blades hold the stack in respective cartons prior to flap closing.

A clamp and a process of using a clamp within a gable top carton conveyor system is provided. The clamp and process of using the clamp provides for improved alignment of gable top cartons such that the edges are better aligned and can form a more effective heat seal.

A clamp and a process of using a clamp within a gable top carton conveyor system is provided. The clamp and process of using the clamp provides for improved alignment of gable top cartons such that the edges are better aligned and can form a more effective heat seal.

An insulated packaging assembly can include a box including a top side wall, a bottom side wall, a first lateral side wall, a second lateral side wall, a third lateral side wall, and a fourth lateral side wall, the box defining a cavity; a first thermal liner positioned in the cavity, a first portion of the first thermal liner positioned in contact with the top side wall, a second portion of the first thermal liner positioned in contact with the first lateral side wall, a third portion of the first thermal liner positioned in contact with the bottom side wall; and a second thermal liner positioned in the cavity, a first portion of the second thermal liner positioned in contact with the second lateral side wall, a second portion of the second thermal liner positioned in contact with the third lateral side wall.

An insulated packaging assembly can include a box including a top side wall, a bottom side wall, a first lateral side wall, a second lateral side wall, a third lateral side wall, and a fourth lateral side wall, the box defining a cavity; a first thermal liner positioned in the cavity, a first portion of the first thermal liner positioned in contact with the top side wall, a second portion of the first thermal liner positioned in contact with the first lateral side wall, a third portion of the first thermal liner positioned in contact with the bottom side wall; and a second thermal liner positioned in the cavity, a first portion of the second thermal liner positioned in contact with the second lateral side wall, a second portion of the second thermal liner positioned in contact with the third lateral side wall.

Disclosed is a box taping machine equipped with a conveying mechanism for boxes and one or more tape applicators. The taping machine can be manually or automatically adjusted, with or without flap folding. A conveying unit displaces boxes along a sliding plane, moved by an actuator controlled by a drive, with a tape applicator positioned above the plane. A passage sensor detects the moving position of at least a vertical surface of the boxes and outputs sensor signals. A programmable logic unit interfaces with the passage sensor and drive, computing a current position of front and rear vertical surfaces based on the sensor signal, and an actuator control function acts on the drive controlling the actuator, the actuator control function being variable in time based on the current position of front and rear vertical surfaces of the boxes. A retrofit kit and corresponding method are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a box taping machine equipped with a conveying mechanism for boxes and one or more tape applicators. The taping machine can be manually or automatically adjusted, with or without flap folding. A conveying unit displaces boxes along a sliding plane, moved by an actuator controlled by a drive, with a tape applicator positioned above the plane. A passage sensor detects the moving position of at least a vertical surface of the boxes and outputs sensor signals. A programmable logic unit interfaces with the passage sensor and drive, computing a current position of front and rear vertical surfaces based on the sensor signal, and an actuator control function acts on the drive controlling the actuator, the actuator control function being variable in time based on the current position of front and rear vertical surfaces of the boxes. A retrofit kit and corresponding method are also disclosed.

A thermal liner can include a single piece of resilient insulation material; and an outer covering coupled to the single piece of resilient insulation material; and wherein a first portion of the thermal liner defines a first end of the thermal liner; a second portion of the thermal liner defines a second end of the thermal liner; a third portion of the thermal liner is positioned between the first portion and the second portion; the single piece of resilient insulation material at least partially defining each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion; the thermal liner is configured to fold to a C-shaped configuration; the first portion is positioned substantially parallel to the second portion in the C-shaped configuration; and the third portion is substantially perpendicular to the first portion and the second portion in the C-shaped configuration.

A thermal liner can include a single piece of resilient insulation material; and an outer covering coupled to the single piece of resilient insulation material; and wherein a first portion of the thermal liner defines a first end of the thermal liner; a second portion of the thermal liner defines a second end of the thermal liner; a third portion of the thermal liner is positioned between the first portion and the second portion; the single piece of resilient insulation material at least partially defining each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion; the thermal liner is configured to fold to a C-shaped configuration; the first portion is positioned substantially parallel to the second portion in the C-shaped configuration; and the third portion is substantially perpendicular to the first portion and the second portion in the C-shaped configuration.

A device supports first and second flaps on a box traveling on a conveyor, the conveyor traveling at a speed in a direction. The device includes a cam track having a selected profile. The device includes a drive mechanism, wherein at least a portion of the drive mechanism travels proximate the cam track in the direction at substantially the speed of the conveyor. First and second mounting blocks are pivotally attached to the drive mechanism, including first and second cam followers for engaging the cam track; first and second fingers; and first and second hooks attached to the first and second fingers and configured to engage and hold the first and second flaps on the box. Relative positions of the first and second fingers with respect to the box change as the drive mechanism travels along the cam track.